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The Colorado Business Roundtable engages with leaders from academia, business, community and government to improve the business climate in our state by unapologetically amplifying the voice of business. Business is a force for good in our community, and we’re here to tell the story. On our podcast, A Seat at the Table, President Debbie Brown welcomes thought leaders to discuss the pressing business issues of the day. Our belief is that when business succeeds, people succeed, our communities succeed. Take your own seat at the table and listen in on these vital conversations.
Episodes
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
The Enabler-In-Chief, RevGen's Kirk Mielenz
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Kirk Mielenz is co-founder and the CEO of RevGen Partners, a Colorado-headquartered business and technology
consulting firm. As CEO, Kirk views his role primarily as “enabler-in-chief” providing the vision, direction,
resources, and trust to empower people – employees, clients, and the broader community. In 2008, Kirk and his fellow co-founders took a leap of faith and embarked on a journey to build RevGen, a professional services firm that that would enable its clients, people, and community in new and significant ways.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Kirk discusses everything from new developments in AI to uncovering hidden biases in business to the importance of engaging with policymakers and helping them understand hidden impacts to business as they craft well-intentioned policies. Kirk is a thoughtful, engaging leader whose entrepreneurial drive has emboldened him to serve his business, his clients, and his community.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.
Monday Mar 18, 2024
How To Support New Migrants featuring Diana Higuera
Monday Mar 18, 2024
Monday Mar 18, 2024
Diana Higuera is the Executive Director and founder of the Rocky Mountain Welcome Center, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of fostering intercultural learning, understanding and integration among immigrants, refugees and the Colorado residents, where she oversees all aspects of the development of the center. Prior to founding the Rocky Mountain Welcome Center, Diana was the Executive Director of the Aurora Welcome Center, leading the merger of AWC. In addition, she is responsible for the development of the award-winning Natural Helpers program in partnership with the City of Aurora.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table, Diana shares her own personal story that led her to this role. She also discusses the challenges faced by migrants and refugees and what to do about it, including providing workforce training and authorizations to work. As someone on the front lines of the issue, she shares her unique insights and discusses the issue with nuance, depth, and sophistication.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.
Monday Feb 26, 2024
Monday Feb 26, 2024
Lynn Granger is Midwest/Mountain West Region Director at American Petroleum Institute. She has a rich background that includes a stint in the United States Army, prestigious business group Colorado Concern, and now finds herself advocating for the oil and natural gas industry through API.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Lynn shares her professional journey, discusses the incredible technological advances made by the oil and natural gas industry in recent years, the continuing need for oil and natural gas for a growing population, the challenges facing this industry in Colorado and much more. Lynn is a talented professional and she offers candid and important insights into one of Colorado's most vital industries.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
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For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.
Monday Feb 12, 2024
The Complicated Issue of Immigration featuring Alexandre Padilla
Monday Feb 12, 2024
Monday Feb 12, 2024
Alexandre Padilla, Ph.D., is the chair and professor of the Department of Economics at Metropolitan State University of Denver. His areas of expertise include insider trading, business economics, stock exchanges, securities and regulation, economic analysis of political decisions and business ethics. He is currently teaching Principles of Microeconomics. Padilla has taught at MSU Denver since 2002. He serves as the director of the Exploring Economic Freedom Project at MSU Denver, which educates students and the general public about the role of economic and political freedom in promoting entrepreneurship, economic growth, prosperity and peace.
Alex also emigrated from France and that experience has lent him unique insight into the immigration process for the United States. He joins Debbie for a conversation about both legal and illegal immigration. How does the system work (or not work)? What can be done to improve it? How do we stack up against other countries? And what does the future hold? All of these questions and more are answered on this week's show.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
Monday Dec 18, 2023
Monday Dec 18, 2023
The annual Colorado Talent Pipeline Report produced by the Colorado Workforce Development Council identifies areas of growing demand and opportunity, key features of the current labor force, and strategies to balance the supply and demand equation for talent. It also highlights the Top Jobs in Colorado -- jobs with high annual openings, above average growth, and a good wage.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Debbie welcomes talent pipeline economist Caitline McKennie and managing director Lee Wheeler-Berliner to the show to discuss the findings of this year's report. Where is there growth? Where are there opportunities? What challenges still exist? All of these questions and much more will be answered.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
Caitlin McKennie is the talent pipeline economist for the Colorado Workforce Development Council Office and the Colorado Department of Higher Education. In this shared-agency position, Caitlin’s role is motivated by data creation and collection as an analytical tool for informed decision-making. She supports the CWDC’s efforts to develop and sustain an industry-led talent development network through her empirical research and analyses centered on Colorado's workforce from both demand and supply perspectives.
As the Managing Director of the Colorado Workforce Development Council Office, Lee Wheeler-Berliner manages the execution of strategies to develop and sustain an industry-led talent development system in Colorado. By forging relationships with industry and public partners at the local and state level, Lee helps to ensure the alignment of talent development efforts statewide. Lee has been with the CWDC since 2014 and brings extensive project management and leadership experience to this role.
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Space Foundation featuring COO Shelli Brunswick
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Wednesday Nov 15, 2023
Shelli Brunswick is Chief Operating Officer of Space Foundation, a nonprofit advocate organization founded in 1983, offering a gateway to education, information and collaboration for space exploration and space-inspired industries that define the global space ecosystem. She brings a broad perspective and deep vision of the global space ecosystem — from a distinguished career as a space acquisition and program management leader and congressional liaison for the U.S. Air Force to her current role, including overseeing Center for Innovation and Education, Symposium 365, and Global Alliance. Advocating for space technology innovation and entrepreneurship, Shelli collaborates with government, commercial and educational sectors on initiatives for space commerce, young professionals, teacher development, and space-inspired curriculum.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Shelli shares her own professional journey, passion for space, and unique insights into how the space industry impacts our daily lives in ways we either don't know, or don't think about. She discusses how Colorado is a hub for the space industry, how to be more inclusive of underserved groups in the future of the space industry, and much more in a wide-ranging and friendly chat.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.
For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Who is DORA? featuring Patty Salazar
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Patty Salazar is the Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). DORA is the state's umbrella regulatory agency, charged with managing licensing and registration for multiple professions and businesses, implementing balanced regulation for Colorado industries, and protecting consumers. As DORA’s Executive Director, she leads a Department of roughly 600 employees with a $120 million budget, and provides support to DORA’s 10 distinct divisions, as well as the Colorado Office of Policy, Research and Regulatory Reform (COPRRR), the Broadband Deployment Board, and the communications, legislative and operational services located within the Executive Director’s Office.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Patty shares additional insights into the agency, her own personal journey, why the agency is important to all Coloradans, and more. She sits at a unique intersection of business, regulation, and consumer protection that is sometimes overlooked by the public. Her insights are tremendous, and the conversation varied and engaging.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.
For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Banking and Colorado featuring Jenifer Waller and Shawn Osthoff
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Jenifer Waller was promoted to Chief Executive Officer and President of the Colorado Bankers Association in January 2022 after serving as President since 2020. Waller joined CBA in 1999 as the Senior Vice President responsible for state government relations and banking advocacy. In 2016, she was promoted to Chief Operating Officer accountable for the daily operations and management of the association. Prior to her days at CBA, Waller spent almost five years as a bank examiner for the Colorado Division of Banking.
Shawn Osthoff is President of the Bank of Colorado, one of the oldest banks in the state, with their first charter issued in Ft. Lupton in 1900. Bank of Colorado serves communities throughout the Eastern Plains, the Front Range, the Western Slope and the Four Corners Region. He is a Colorado native, and has been serving our communities since 1995. Attending both the University of Northern Colorado and Colorado State University, Mr. Osthoff is a proud Coloradan.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, these two important cogs in the Colorado banking scene discuss the current lay of the land for banks in Colorado and beyond. They delve into how banks establish and maintain trust, why the recent bank failures in California and New York are unlikely to happen in Colorado, and what lies ahead for the industry this year and beyond. Banks are in many ways the barometer of the economy at large. This episode provides an inside look at the banking industry from two industry insiders.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.
For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Workforce Development Month 2023 featuring Lisanne McNew and Jonathan Liebert
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
Thursday Sep 21, 2023
September is Workforce Development Month, and we're pleased to welcome Lisanne McNew, Chair of the Colorado Workforce Development Council and Vice Chair Jonathan Liebert to the show to discuss the work CWDC does, what workforce centers do and what services they offer, and talk about overall workforce issues in Colorado.
In addition to serving as Chair for the CWDC, Lisanne McNew is President & CEO of SAFE Engineering, a customer focused technical services provider that provides comprehensive engineering and maintenance support to include evaluation and approval of repairs and modifications, evaluation of process specifications and development of specialized installation and tooling procedures. Jonathan Liebert is CEO/Executive Director of Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado. Since August of 1980, Better Business Bureau of Southern Colorado has helped consumers find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust. BBB of Southern Colorado serves 25 counties throughout Southern Colorado and sets standards for marketplace trust – to create a community of dependable businesses and charities – by encouraging and supporting best practices, educating consumers and businesses, celebrating business role models, and calling out and addressing substandard marketplace behavior.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.
For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
In honor of Workforce Development Month, we welcome Traci Marques, Executive Director/CEO of Pikes Peak Workforce Center and Stephanie Mufic, Business Innovation and Strategy Unit Manager for Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The Pikes Peak Workforce Center connects vital businesses with work-ready job seekers and employer-driven services. They help residents of El Paso & Teller Counties with career transition, whether they are unemployed, underemployed, or employed. Clients range from entry-level to professional, including youth, adults, people returning to the workforce, and those with barriers to employment. They provide job search and training opportunities, including 20 different job seeker workshops at no cost.
On this episode of A Seat at the Table with Debbie Brown, Traci and Stephanie share their passion for helping people reach fulfillment in their careers, discuss how workforce development centers actually function, tell engaging anecdotes about success stories, and share their own personal journeys into this field. It's an interesting look at how workforce centers serve as connective tissue between firms looking to hire and job seekers looking for ideal landing spots.
Hosted by Colorado Business Roundtable President Debbie Brown.
Rate, review and subscribe on your favorite podcatcher.
For more of our events, podcasts, and news, please visit the Colorado Business Roundtable website.